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The upcoming Ford Fathom, the automaker’s all-new from the ground up all-electric pickup truck based on Ford’s also all-new Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) platform, could be facing a production delay. Ford had planned to start building the truck next year, but CEO Jim Farley recently admitted meeting that timing will be tricky.
“We haven’t landed the plane on mass production of the UEV yet,” Farley said when referring to the platform at the recent Automotive News Congress event in Detroit. “It’s going to be a heck of an effort to launch this at scale, at cost, on time.”
Farley said that Ford is looking at multiple ways to save money on production of the electric truck, which is expected to start at around $30,000. Reaching that price target isn’t going to be easy, especially as the automaker tries to keep the Fathom affordable without making it feel too stripped down.
The Fathom is expected to play an important role in Ford’s push to offer more affordable electric vehicles. Although many electric pickups currently available are expensive and designed to compete with larger trucks (save the coming new $26,400 Slate truck), the Fathom is expected to focus more on value and practicality. That could make it appealing to buyers who want an EV but don’t need the size, power, or price tag of a full-size electric pickup. The vehicle is set to be built at Ford’s Louisville plant, which is currently undergoing a $2 billion retooling.
In a previous interview, Alan Clarke, Ford’s vice president of advanced development projects, told GreenCars that the automaker was working with new suppliers it hadn’t used before. Ford also had to better understand what customers actually wanted in the vehicle, including which features should be included and which could be cut to help keep costs under control.
In short, it’s all easier said than done. Every feature adds cost, weight, and complexity, while removing too much equipment could make the Fathom less competitive against other affordable EVs. Ford will need to find the right balance if it wants to hit the $30,000 price target while still offering a useful and appealing truck.
Multiple Fathom prototypes have been spotted testing in different parts of the country, but Ford has remained tight-lipped about what the truck will offer. We do know that Apple Maps will power the built-in navigation system, as well as the EV route and charging planner. The base powertrain is expected to use a rear electric motor powered by a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack.
Farley didn’t say how far production could be pushed back. Ford had planned to open orders in early 2027 to roughly coincide with the start of production, but that timing could now be in question.
We’ll have to wait and see whether Ford announces an official delay in the next few months. Regardless, the Fathom remains one of the more interesting and intriguing electric vehicles we’re looking forward to seeing on the road, truck or otherwise. And we’ll find out soon enough if Ford can deliver on its $30,000 price target without cutting too many corners.
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